Kitley and Amoore lead Virginia Tech over Duke 77-55 - VT hokiesports.com

Ryan Reynolds responds to Betty White saying he can't get over her - CNN

(CNN)Betty White says Ryan Reynolds just can't quit her.

The two starred in the 2009 movie "The Proposal," and ever since Reynolds has been publicly calling White his "ex-girlfriend."

The iconic actress responded in an interview with People, saying, "I've heard Ryan can't get over his thing for me, but Robert Redford is The One."

Reynolds responded with a tweet, joking: "I'm absolutely sick of the media exploiting past relationships just to drive clicks."

I'm absolutely sick of the media exploiting past relationships just to drive clicks. https://t.co/xV8v2vVvXB

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 30, 2021

On January 17, the former Golden Girl will turn 100. Fans can celebrate with her in a special movie event called "Betty White: 100 Years Young -- A Birthday Celebration."

The movie follows White behind-the-scenes on sets, working with her office staff, entertaining at home and will include her actual birthday party.

Reynolds appears in the movie, along with Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett and Craig Ferguson.

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Tesla recalls nearly half a million cars over safety issues - Reuters

Tesla China-made Model 3 vehicles are seen during a delivery event at its factory in Shanghai, China January 7, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song

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Dec 30 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) is recalling more than 475,000 of its Model 3 and Model S electric cars to address rearview camera and trunk issues that increase the risk of crashing, the U.S. road safety regulator said.

Tesla shares were down 1.1% in premarket trading on Thursday.

The U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer is recalling 356,309 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles to address rearview camera issues and 119,009 Model S vehicles due to front hood problems, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.

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The total number of recalled vehicles is close to the half a million vehicles Tesla delivered last year. Tesla could not be reached for comment.

For Model 3 sedans, "the rearview camera cable harness may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying," the NHTSA said.

For Model S vehicles, front hood latch problems may lead a trunk to open "without warning and obstruct the driver’s visibility, increasing the risk of a crash," Tesla said.

Tesla is not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths related to the issues with its Model 3 and Model S cars, the NHTSA said.

Tesla is being investigated by the NHTSA over other issues. The NHTSA had opened a probe on 580,000 Tesla vehicles over the automaker's decision to allow games to be played on car screens while they are in motion. read more

Tesla has subsequently agreed to stop allowing video games to be played on vehicle screens while its cars are moving, according to the NHTSA.

In August, the NHTSA opened a formal safety probe into Tesla Inc's driver assistance system Autopilot after a series of crashes involving Tesla models and emergency vehicles.

Under pressure from NHTSA, Tesla in February agreed to recall 135,000 vehicles with touch-screen displays that could fail and raise the risk of a crash. read more

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Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Alistair Bell

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Prince Andrew's attorneys claim court does not have jurisdiction over Virginia Giuffre lawsuit - CNN

(CNN)Attorneys for Britain's Prince Andrew claimed Tuesday that the US court handling a civil lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, in which she accuses the Duke of York of sexual assault, does not have jurisdiction over the case.

A motion filed in the US District Court in Manhattan states, "Ms. Giuffre alleges she is a citizen of the State of Colorado, the evidence demonstrates that she is actually domiciled in Australia, where she has lived for all but two of the past nineteen years."

Giuffre alleges she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with his friends, including the prince. She says the assaults happened in London, New York and the US Virgin Islands -- and that Andrew was aware that she was 17 years old when the alleged incidents began.

In an earlier motion to dismiss filed on October 29, an attorney for Andrew said he "unequivocally denies Giuffre's false allegations against him."

The motion filed Tuesday also asks the court to "order Ms. Giuffre to respond to targeted written discovery requests pertaining to her domicile and submit to a two-hour remote deposition limited to the issue of her domicile."

CNN has reached out to attorneys for Giuffre and Prince Andrew for comment.

In November, a Manhattan federal judge said Andrew may face a trial date between September and December of 2022 provided the matter is not settled or dismissed.

Oral arguments are set for January 4, when attorneys for Prince Andrew are expected to argue for a dismissal of Giuffre's civil lawsuit.

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Covid: Warning over patchy lateral flow test supply - BBC News

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Pharmacists are warning of patchy supplies of rapid Covid tests following changes to self-isolation rules.

They said demand for lateral flow tests increased after changes allowed people with Covid in England to end isolation after seven days if they test negative.

The Association Of Independent Multiple Pharmacies said staff and customers were stressed over the lack of supply.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said test availability is refreshed throughout the day.

"During periods of exceptional demand there may be temporary pauses in ordering or receiving tests, to ensure we manage distribution across the system", it added.

Labour said the situation was a "total shambles" and the government should help people "trying to do the right thing" by ordering tests.

A record 117,093 cases were reported in England on Tuesday, but UK patient numbers remain below January's peak.

So far, the surge in cases driven by Omicron has not led to a similarly sharp rise in hospital admissions, even taking into account the lag between infection and hospital treatment.

Partial data from the UK nations means a full national picture will only be available again in the first week of January.

• What are the rules for new year?
• How many cases are in my area
• Live updates: No plans to cut self-isolation further

The warnings about the supply of rapid lateral flow Covid tests come after several changes to self-isolation rules.

Those who test positive for Covid can now leave home after seven days - as long as they test negative via lateral flow devices on day six and seven - in England.

And fully-vaccinated close contacts of positive cases, including those in the same household, can go about their daily lives as normal with a daily negative lateral flow test in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association Of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there had been a very high demand for lateral flow tests since the changes.

"Every five minutes, approximately, somebody comes into the pharmacy and asks for tests," she said.

"But unfortunately because of the issues around supply being patchy and inconsistent it means that those who come forward for the test don't always get it, which is very stressful not just for the pharmacy but also for the patients."

Thorrun Govind, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England, said having an online collection code for lateral flow tests does not guarantee they will be in stock at a chemists.

She also urged the public not to become angry with pharmacy staff and pleaded for patience amid the increased demand.

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The UKHSA said that the delivery capacity for lateral flow testing kits has doubled to 900,000 a day since 18 December, due to unprecedented demand.

Lateral flow tests are also available to order online for delivery through Royal Mail - but many people have reported problems placing orders, with the website often saying "sorry, there are no home delivery slots left for rapid lateral flow tests right now".

The UKHSA said "exceptionally high demand" for Covid PCR appointments - tests used to confirm a positive lateral flow result - could lead to temporary reduced availability in some areas but currently there are tests available to book online.

"We have made 100,000 more PCR booking slots available per day since mid-December and we are continuing to rapidly expand capacity, with over half a million tests carried out on 23 December alone."

The agency also said Christmas post schedules could be impact deliveries - but work and pensions minister Chloe Smith said people should "persevere" in their efforts to secure Covid tests.

Separately, record demand for Covid PCR tests has left some people waiting up to five days for results in Scotland.

In other developments:

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people who have not been fully vaccinated were "eight times more likely" to get seriously ill with Covid
• Matthew Taylor, head of the NHS Confederation, said staff absence "is a huge issue for the NHS right now"
• Health Secretary Sajid Javid criticised restrictions in Wales after group run organisers Parkrun cancelled meets following the introduction of fresh Covid curbs there
• People in Scotland have been urged not to travel to England for new year celebrations as doing so would go against the "spirit" of restrictions, the Scottish government says.

Why do people need lateral flow tests?

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Free-to-order rapid tests are seen as a crucial way to keep safe as Covid cases surge. Countries like the US have scrambled to follow the UK's lead in providing mass lateral flow tests free of charge.

They are useful in showing whether a person is infectious - providing trustworthy results in just 30 minutes. They are used:

• To allow people with Covid to leave isolation after seven days - by testing negative on day six and seven - in England
• By those in close contact with Covid cases to avoid isolation through daily rapid testing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• To reassure people without symptoms they are not infectious before seeing vulnerable relatives or attending new year gatherings
• In secondary schools, which require regular rapid testing, as well as some workplaces

There have been calls by some scientists and business leaders for the government to follow the example of US health officials and reduce the isolation period in England for people with asymptomatic Covid, to five days.

But a government spokesperson said the current isolation period - which was recently lowered from 10 to seven days - remained "critical for limiting the spread of the virus".

They said: "There are no further changes to the isolation period planned at this time, but we keep all rules under review based on the latest health data".

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said some trust bosses thought self-isolating staff would be a "bigger problem" than the number of people being treated for Covid.

And he told the BBC that while there may come a point where Covid is treated like a common cold, that should not be the case for people who work in the NHS, as they dealt with potentially "very, very vulnerable" people.

Unlike Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the government has decided against introducing new Covid measures in England ahead of the new year.

England saw another 1,374 Covid hospital admissions on 26 December - the highest number since February.

Not all the patients in hospital will have been admitted for Covid - latest data suggests about three in 10 have the virus but were admitted to hospital for something else.

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• A STUNNING WINTER WALK: Shepherdess Amanda Owen takes us through the Yorkshire Dales

Have you been affected by the availability of Covid tests? Share your experiences haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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Doctors Strike Over Understaffing Disrupts Delhi Hospitals - The New York Times

A lengthy doctors’ strike in New Delhi against staffing shortages at state-run hospitals has crippled health services, creating fears of disaster if the Omicron variant overwhelms medical facilities.

Medical students from across India have joined the protests, which intensified two weeks ago and have grown angrier after police officers were seen beating junior doctors during a march on Monday.

The New Delhi government has expressed concern over a rising number of coronavirus cases and announced new measures, including a nighttime curfew, to slow the spread of the virus. While the country’s overall case count remains low, daily infections in the capital region have risen by more than 300 percent over the past two weeks, according to the Our World in Data Project at the University of Oxford. It is unclear how many of the new cases are of the Omicron variant.

As the doctors’ strike has stretched on, drawing in recent graduates and tens of thousands of the more than 70,000 doctors who work at government medical facilities nationwide, emergency health services have been the worst hit.

Videos from major state-run hospitals in New Delhi have shown patients on stretchers lying unattended outside emergency rooms. Many Indians rely on state medical facilities for care because of the high cost of treatment at private hospitals.

The protests were triggered by delays in placing medical school graduates in jobs at government health facilities, as India’s Supreme Court considers an affirmative action policy aimed at increasing the share of positions reserved for underrepresented communities. Protesting doctors say they are not against the quotas, but want the court to expedite its decision so that graduates can begin their jobs.

During India’s catastrophic coronavirus wave earlier this year, doctors and other medical personnel found themselves short-handed and underfunded as they battled an outbreak that at its height was causing 4,000 deaths a day. Doctors associations say that more than 1,500 doctors have died from Covid since the pandemic began.

India Coronavirus Cases

100,000

200,000

300,000 cases

Feb. 2020

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb. 2021

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

7–day average

6,868

Source: Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. The daily average is calculated with data that was reported in the last seven days.

Protests continued across the country and outside major hospitals in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after police officers in the capital detained more than 2,500 protesting doctors who were walking toward the residence of India’s health minister.

India’s health ministry said it was saddened over the treatment of doctors during the protest on Monday, but said it could not proceed with job placements while the issue was being heard in the country’s top court.

Dr. Suvrankar Datta, an official for the Federation of All India Medical Association, a doctors’ group that supports the strike, said as coronavirus cases rise in New Delhi and other parts of the country, there will not be enough doctors to handle the crisis.

“We have already communicated to the government so many times that the health care infrastructure is understaffed like never before,” he said. If graduates are not placed in jobs quickly, he added, it creates “a completely catastrophic situation when cases rise.”

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PGA, Trump Org. announce settlement over axed Bedminster golf tournament - NBC News

The PGA and the Trump Organization announced Tuesday a settlement over the golf association's decision to move its 2022 championship from Trump's New Jersey golf course in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The terms of the settlement were not released, but the Professional Golfers' Association offered glowing words for former President Donald Trump's company and its Bedminster golf course.

"The Trump Organization’s contribution to the golf community is appreciated. We are thankful the company employs hundreds of dedicated PGA Professionals and consistently gives back to the golf community through hosting charitable events and sponsoring junior golf programs," the PGA said in a statement, calling Trump Bedminster "a major championship-worthy golf course."

The PGA announced in 2014 that it would hold its 2022 championship at Trump Bedminster. The organization pulled the plug on those plans days after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol in an effort to block certification of Joe Biden's election win.

"It's become clear that conducting the PGA Championship at Trump Bedminster would be detrimental to the PGA of America brand and would put at risk the PGA's ability to deliver on many programs and sustain the longevity of our mission," PGA of America President Jim Richerson said at the time.

Dec. 24, 202102:48

The Trump Organization called the move "a breach of a binding contract" and said the PGA had "no right to terminate the agreement."

"As an organization we have invested many many millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster," the statement said.

On Tuesday, Eric Trump, the Trump Organization's executive vice president, said, "We have great respect for the work of the PGA."

"We look forward to continuing to support the mission of the PGA and its Professionals, who are the best in the golf industry," he said.

His father also weighed in, hailing the settlement in a statement as a "wonderful conclusion for all. Thank you to the PGA of America!"

Trump, who famously said he would be too busy to golf if he were elected president in the 2016 campaign, wound up being a prolific golfer while in office, mostly playing at his own courses. An NBC News tally of his golfing trips totaled over 250 during his time in office, but an exact number was difficult to track. His administration often tried to hide Trump's activity, keeping his traveling press pool away and refusing to confirm whether he played golf.

While in office, he was one of the sport's biggest boosters, awarding the country's highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom, to four golfers, including Tiger Woods.

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

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Elon Musk's SpaceX satellites catch heat in China over close calls with space station - CNN

New York / Hong Kong (CNN Business)Elon Musk's rocky year in China is ending on another sour note.

The tech billionaire's SpaceX satellites are catching heat in the country after Beijing complained that two satellites launched by the American aerospace manufacturer endangered Chinese astronauts.

In a report sent earlier this month to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, China claimed that two SpaceX satellites flew too close to the country's space station this year, forcing the station to make evasive maneuvers to avoid collision.

The two encounters "constituted dangers to the life or health of astronauts aboard the China Space Station," according to the report, which said the incidents happened in July and October.

China filed its complaint to the UN early this month. But the episodes didn't gain widespread attention in the country until this week.

Chinese State media scrutinized the incidents, which involved satellites that are part of SpaceX's Starlink constellation — a project that promises to beam high-speed internet across the entire planet. The Global Times, a state-run tabloid, cited an expert Monday who speculated that SpaceX may have been "trying to test China's capability and response awareness in space."

The topic also attracted some 90 million views on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media service in China. Users criticized the "US Starlink satellites." One person decried the network as a "rogue project" and a "kind of monopoly in the space race." Another accused the United States of "provoking trouble."

Asked about the incident on Tuesday, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the United States to "take immediate measures to prevent such incidents from happening again."

"It is a typical double standard for the US to proclaim the concept of 'responsible conduct in outer space' while ignoring its obligations under international treaties on outer space and posing a grave threat to the lives and safety of astronauts," Zhao Lijian told reporters.

SpaceX did not respond to a request from CNN Business for comment about the document that China filed with the UN, nor to questions about whether the company was able to communicate with Chinese authorities during the incidents.

The UN's Office for Outer Space Affairs did not immediately respond to a request from CNN Business for comment. In its report, China asked UN Secretary-General António Guterres to remind countries of the organization's treaty governing outer space activity.

The US military's Vandenberg Space Force Base, which monitors space traffic and attempts to track potential collisions, did not respond to a request for comment about the UNOOSA report.

A space traffic problem

People across the United States are already using the new Starlink network, and it's rapidly expanding across the globe as SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites and expands its service into new countries.

SpaceX's Starlink constellation already includes roughly 2,000 satellites, and it promises to far surpass that amount.

But that satellite constellation, other similar planned projects and increasing commercial and government activity in space has contributed to a growing problem: how to manage traffic in space.

Near-misses between objects in space happen all the time. And the apparent close calls documented in China's report to the UN may be symptoms of a larger problem plaguing space-faring nations: There is not a perfect, international solution for tracking and coordinating objects in space.

Concerns about potential collisions will likely keep growing, and activities in space will become more dangerous as humans launch more objects into orbit.

It should also be noted that Russia and China have conducted anti-satellite, or ASAT, military tests that have essentially blown up satellites in orbit and created massive plumes of debris in space. That debris whips uncontrollably through orbit, threatening any spacecraft, space station or satellite that might cross the debris field's path.

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, pointed out that the International Space Station has had to maneuver out of the way of debris created by China's 2007 ASAT test several times in recent years.

In other words: Every party involved shares a bit of the fault for how crowded Earth's orbit has become.

"This is another symptom that we're in a new era — a new space age that is both much busier much tenser," McDowell told CNN Business.

It's not clear whether the Starlink satellites mentioned in the UN report attempted to move out of the way of China's space station on their own. During October's close encounter, according to China, the satellite's "maneuver strategy was unknown and orbital errors were hard to be assessed," prompting the space station to evade the satellite and "avoid a potential collision."

The Starlink website, though, says that autonomous collision avoidance technology is embedded into its satellites, allowing them to automatically duck out of the way if they detect a potential crash with an oncoming piece of space junk, a space station or any other space-faring object.

McDowell told CNN Business that based on his data, the Starlink satellite that made a close approach to China's space station in July made a slight adjustment to its path that could indicate the autonomous system was working.

But he added that those systems are hardly effective if there's not more coordination.

"If I'm in China — even if I know that SpaceX has an autonomous system — I don't know that it's going to work this time," he said. "I don't know if it's switched on."

Musk's reputation in China

The controversy could hurt Musk's reputation in China.

Musk spent years winning over authorities and Chinese citizens alike as his electric carmaker Tesla made inroads where other foreign firms could not.

Tesla (TSLA) was the only foreign manufacturer without a local partner to win a big tax break for its cars in 2019, and Musk famously danced on stage during the debut of the Shanghai-made Model 3 early last year, which went viral on Weibo. Premier Li Keqiang once even said he would be happy to give Musk a "China green card" after the American entrepreneur said he "loves China very much."

But Musk's reception in the country has been damaged over the last year by a run of bad publicity, including a recall of virtually all of the Tesla cars that have been built in Shanghai. The company also faced protests by Telsa owners at this year's Shanghai auto show over poor car quality and various safety concerns flagged by Chinese regulators.

Musk, who has long shown an affinity for Chinese culture, has in the meantime been on a monthslong charm offensive.

In July, he applauded the government on the 100th anniversary for the ruling Chinese Communist Party, tweeting: "The economic prosperity that China has achieved is truly amazing, especially in infrastructure! I encourage people to visit and see for themselves."

That came months after the world's richest man appeared for a rare interview with a Chinese state broadcaster, heaping praise on Beijing and saying that China would "become the biggest economy in the world." Musk has also predicted that the country will eventually become Tesla's most important market.

And his many utterances have often created buzz within the country. In November, Musk cryptically tweeted an ancient Chinese poem that is famous in the country, and which refers to a spat between brothers. It swiftly became a trending topic on Weibo.

-- CNN's Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

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